Once again 10 innocent Indian fishermen were apprehended on Wednesday by Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA). As per the report, PMSA officials abducted two Indian fishing trawlers along with fishermen on-board near International Maritime Boundary line (IMBl) off Gujarat coast.
Manish lodhari, secretary of National Fish Forum, confirmed that both boats were from coastal town Porbander and the fishermen on board started their journey in the Arabian Sea for fishing around couple of days back.
According to lodhari, during the current fishing season started from August 15, 2015 and would continue till June 10, 2016, PMSA has abducted more than 80 Indian fishing boats. As of now over 500 fishermen are in different jails of Pakistan, he added.
“We have written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to initiate bilateral talk for the release of Indian fishing trawlers and jailed Indian fishermen,” said lodhari.
Meanwhile, PMSA claimed that they had arrested 10 Indian fishermen and seized two boats for allegedly fishing illegally in their country’s territorial waters. According to PMSA, the Pakistani marine security personnel had repeatedly warned them before arresting Indian fishermen.
The fishermen were arrested from Sir Creek which is situated between Sindh province of Pakistan and Gujarat State of India. Pakistan claimed that the Indian fishermen violated territorial waters and indulged in illegal fishing in open sea area. A case under the foreign and fisheries act of Pakistan law has been registered against them.
It is worth mentioning that in sear of better quality fish sometimes fishermen from both the countries unknowingly cross IMBl and as result of it they are being arrested by the marine security forces of India as well as Pakistan. After some years, both the countries release them. In April this year Pakistan apprehended as many as 10 Indian boats along with 59 fishermen.